M&S Launches 1,000 Youth Traineeships as UK Neet Total Tops 1 Million
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 7
M&S Launches 1,000 Youth Traineeships as UK Neet Total Tops 1 Million
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 7
Summary
M&S will create 1,000 paid traineeship places across the UK and Ireland over the next 18 months for 16-24-year-olds trying to enter work.
The six-month scheme targets rising youth inactivity, with official data showing more than 1 million young people are not in employment, education or training—about one in eight and the highest level in over 12 years.
Successful participants can move into further training toward store manager roles, and applicants do not need a degree, positioning retail as a longer-term career path rather than only a first job.
The launch follows a review warning one in six young people could be Neet within five years as entry-level opportunities shrink, while the government expands AI and tech training and studies how automation is reshaping starter jobs.
Is M&S's traineeship a real career path or a dead end in an age of automation?
As youth joblessness costs £125 billion, can corporate schemes truly patch deep systemic failures?
Youth Unemployment in the UK Surges Past 16%: Evaluating Private and Public Solutions for a Lost Generation
Overview
The UK is facing a serious youth unemployment crisis, with around one million young people not in education, employment, or training. In response, Marks & Spencer (M&S) has launched the 'Not Just Any Career' traineeship program, aiming to train 1,000 young people and develop their management skills without requiring a university degree. This private sector initiative is designed to equip young individuals with essential skills for the future, directly addressing the urgent need for practical career pathways. M&S’s program highlights how businesses can play a key role in tackling youth unemployment and supporting the next generation.